New Apple AirPod headphones tipped for release this year

New Apple AirPod headphones tipped for release this year

Theresa Hayes
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22 February, 2018, 16:57

The popular fully wireless earbud-style headphones that Apple introduced previous year are now on track for a refresh in 2018 with the addition of a new version of the "W" line of chips that Apple created specifically to manage and improve Bluetooth-based connections between gadgets. The company initially launched the new AirPods with the iPhone 7 back in 2016, and it's believed to be working on a new version of the second half of this year and another new version for early 2019.

Both pairs are going to benefit from improved wireless connectivity thanks to the inclusion of the upgraded W2 chip found in the Apple Watch 3, an improvement on the W1 chip that now powers the AirPod Bluetooth connectivity.

The model coming as early as this year will let people summon Apple's Siri digital assistant without physically tapping the headphones by saying "Hey Siri". The new model will arrive this year itself, Bloomberg claims.

The department that produced the HomePod speaker is said to be the designer of the AirPods, Bloomberg News reported previous year.

Bloomberg report also talks about a 2019 version for AirPods. At most, it won't be affected by rain or splashes of water, but it might not survive being completely submerged in liquid.

Like with its mobile devices, the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, Apple is said to be planning to frequently update the AirPods with new hardware features. Infact, the AirPods played a vital role in taking wireless headphones mainstream.